


Perfect Little Miracles

by Tangerine



Category: Avengers (Comics), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Characters A and B take care of hurt/ill Character C whom they both love, Comfort Sex, First Time, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Mutual Pining, Polyamory, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:08:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23965924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tangerine/pseuds/Tangerine
Summary: Cannonball has the perfect life. He'd be the first to admit it. So why does it still feel like something's missing?
Relationships: Roberto da Costa/Sam Guthrie/Izzy Kane
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20
Collections: Hurt Comfort Exchange 2020





	Perfect Little Miracles

**Author's Note:**

  * For [snowshus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowshus/gifts).



_"Listen to me. Don't do it."  
"That doesn't mean anything. You always tell me not to do whatever it is I'm about to do."  
"Yes. And I'm usually right."  
"Yeah, but life is for living those other moments, right? The outliers, the perfect little miracles… Besides, I've got a feeling about this."  
"I'm telling you. Do not do it."_

_\- Sam to Bobby, New Mutants (2019) #5_

It was such a nice day that Sam was tempted to walk home, but he was already running late, so he blasted there instead. His piece of junk communicator had crapped out before lunch, so he hadn't been able to tell Izzy he was going to be late. He grabbed a fistful of flowers from the planter on the way in.

In the elevator, he tried to make them look presentable and not like he'd shoved his hand into the nearest bush. It occurred to him they might be poisonous – he wasn't exactly used to the foliage on Chandilar, and he'd never had much of a green thumb to begin with – but at least they were pretty. 

Sam toed out of his boots at the door. He could hear someone making a racket in the direction of the kitchen. Probably Josh, based on the enthusiastic banging of pots and pans. Sam couldn't help but smile at that – he loved that kid something fierce – and head towards the noise. "Hi, honey, I'm home."

"Hey yourself, handsome," Bobby replied, looking up from one of the pots sitting on the stove. He was dressed casually – linen shirt with the first two buttons undone, shorts, bare feet. _Like he lives here_ , Sam thought, a familiar warm feeling just starting to curl low in his belly before he had the good sense to stop it dead in its track.

"Sorry, I was expecting my wife," Sam explained. Bobby glanced at his bouquet of flowers, a sarcastic smile pulling at his lips, but he kept his mouth shut. Sam squeezed by him to look for a vase for the flowers. "Seen her around? Gorgeous brunette, smart as a whip, way too good for the likes of me."

"She's running late," Bobby replied, stirring the pot of boiling water. Sam glanced over Bobby's shoulder, his stomach rumbling a little when he saw it was spaghetti. Without asking, Sam lifted the lid off the second pot and took a deep sniff of the sauce. "She called me when you ghosted her all day."

"My flipping communicator crapped out. Second time this week. It's got me missing rotary phones. Yeah, maybe you'd end up accidentally dialing Mrs. Collins down the road, but at least it was reliable."

Bobby snorted. "That might be the most Kentucky thing you've ever said."

"It's the truth," Sam insisted, laughing. He glanced over at Josh. "Sitter didn't give you any trouble?"

"I'm practically his second dad at this point," Bobby replied, clearly joking, but Sam felt his cheeks begin to heat anyway. It'd been Izzy's idea to list Bobby as a backup, in case either of them got held up. Bobby hadn't minded being asked and had agreed right away. "You know I don't mind helping."

"Yeah, I know," Sam replied. "But we'll try not to make a habit of it."

Bobby shrugged easily, shoulder lifting as he turned his attention to the bubbling pot of sauce. "Gave me an excuse to end the mind-numbingly boring meeting I was in early. Fu… _dging_ accounts." 

Sam got down on his knees and started pressing kisses all over Josh's cheeks. His son looked up at him with a wide toothy grin but clearly drumming on the cookware was his main priority because it wasn't long before he was squirming to get away. Sam ruffled his hair affectionately then hopped up again.

"Anything I can do to help?" he asked, leaning on the counter.

"Open a bottle of wine. A _good_ one," Bobby added sharply as Sam reached for the booze cupboard.

Sam looked over their options. "I don't think we have any good ones," he admitted after a moment. 

Bobby sighed deeply. "Why am I friends with you again?"

"I dunno," Sam said as he plucked one of the bottles from the rack. Bobby tossed him a corkscrew, and Sam caught it one-handed. Momentarily distracted, Josh stopped drumming like a maniac, and Sam enjoyed the blissful seconds of silence. "Maybe 'cause we let you come over for supper every night?"

"I just assumed that was you guys sucking up to the landlord for a rent freeze."

Sam's grin widened so much it felt like it was splitting his face. "Is it working?" he asked. 

"Depends on if I keep having to make my own dinner or not," Bobby replied.

"Not used to having to lift a finger anymore, are you, mister money bags?"

"Hey, don't knock having your own personal chef until you've tried it. They ruin you for the cooking of mere mortals," Bobby replied, laughing as he waved Sam over and made him taste the sauce, which was surprisingly bland for Bobby's tastes. Bobby must have seen that thought written all over his face because he laughed again. "Remember your son? The one you have me importing cantaloupes for?"

"He's gotta eat something," Sam said helplessly. "Lord knows we've tried everything else."

"Well, he's gonna eat this spaghetti. Aren't you, kiddo?"

Josh beat louder on his pots and pans, a wooden spoon in each hand, clutched between chubby fingers.

As the wine breathed – Sam was doubtful that would help anything, but Bobby remained optimistic – Sam set the table. Bobby's communicator kept dinging with messages from Izzy – "sorry, buddy, your wife clearly loves me more now," Bobby had said, bumping him out of the way when Sam tried to wrestle it away from him – letting them know she was five minutes out, provided no sudden disasters. 

"Curse of being a Superguardian. She attracts disasters," Sam said, reading over Bobby's shoulder. 

"No kidding. She married you, didn't she? Seriously, how the hel… _ck_ do you drink this swill?" Bobby asked, sniffing at the wine bottle before pouring a splash of it into a glass. He swirled it around, all fancy-like, before tasting it and making a face. "This is making me rethink our entire friendship, dude."

"It was a gift," Sam protested with a laugh. 

"From who? Yourself?"

Sam opened his mouth to retort, but the sudden scent of burning cut him off. "Uh, Bobby…?"

"Shit, the garlic bread!" Bobby said, scrambling for the oven. 

"Shit!" Josh cried, banging intensifying. "Shit, shit, shit!"

That was how Izzy found them, juggling the torched remains of a baguette between them as the spaghetti boiled over, with Josh cursing up a storm on the floor, drumming with frantic enthusiasm. Laughing, she just slipped a hand around Sam's waist and pulled him in for a brief comforting kiss.

"Things are going well, I see," she said fondly, reaching down to scoop Josh into her arms. 

"Well, believe it or not, until about thirty seconds ago, we resembled fully functioning adults."

"All lies," Bobby said, grinning. He pulled the spaghetti pot off the stove and tipped the contents into a colander. A sharp hiss of steam followed as Bobby glanced over his shoulder. "And hey, Izzy."

"Hey, Bobby," she replied, smiling at him like they shared some inside joke that Sam wasn't in on. That feeling from before came back, swirling in his stomach. His hands instinctively went to Izzy, pulling her and Josh into the circle of his arms as he tried to clamp down on it again. Izzy continued speaking, voice rumbling in his ear. "Thanks for helping out. Glad to know _someone_ wasn't ignoring me."

"I swear, it's that hunk of junk, not me."

"You're forgiven," Izzy told him, pressing a kiss to the corner of Sam's mouth. 

Izzy pulled away then and placed Josh into his highchair, so Sam turned his attention to resurrecting the charred garlic bread. While he shaved off as much of the burned surface as he could, Bobby and Izzy chatted, laughing about something Bobby had sent her. Sam smiled to himself, only half-listening.

The other half was lost in a daydream, a familiar one, that was getting harder and harder to ignore. They'd grown closer since Bobby had moved to Chandilar. Day by day, he'd seen their relationship shift into something. Something fond, something deeper. Something... _intimate_. That was the word for it. And it filled him with a feeling that he couldn't quite put words to and didn't dare to either. 

He'd never been more grateful that neither of them were telepaths.

Pushing the thought, barely formed as it was, out of his head, Sam sliced up the salvaged remains and dumped them into the breadbasket Bobby had left out. He took his place at the table across from Izzy, with Bobby on his right side and Josh on his left, his toothy face already covered in spaghetti noodles. 

"A hundred bucks none of those actually make it into his mouth," Bobby said. 

"Only a fool would take that bet," Izzy replied, laughing. "Sam?"

"On it," he said, stretching over to the counter and grabbing a ripened cantaloupe. Bobby was already up, fishing a knife out of the drawer, and pretended to throw it a few times before safely passing it over while Josh screeched in delight. Sam shook his head. "You're gonna teach him so many bad habits."

Bobby laughed. "Gotta get him while he's young, or he'll grow up to be like his do-gooder parents."

"You're worse than we are," Izzy replied, shaking her head. 

"I can't help I was born to be a super-hero. Rich, intelligent, powerful. I was made for this, baby."

Sam snorted. "I'm surprised you didn't throw in attractive."

"It's just nicer hearing that one from other people. Thanks, buddy. That means a lot."

Izzy rolled her eyes, but she laughed along with Sam as Bobby sat there, looking pleased with himself.

After, Izzy and Bobby cleaned up while Sam gave Josh a bath then put him to bed. He read him a story as Josh leaned against him, sleepy eyes half-closed as they struggled to focus on the pictures. Once Sam was sure he was completely out, he carefully extracted himself and closed the door behind him. 

As he approached the living room, he could hear laughter. He'd been worried at first, how Bobby would fit into their lives here. It'd sounded great in theory, but Sam had learned to manage his expectations over the years. Things didn't always turn out like you wanted them to. Being an X-Man and an Avenger had driven that point home clear enough. But then... he'd never expected Bobby to actually stay behind.

Life was full of little surprises. 

They'd settled into the arrangement quickly. Bobby had set up his own apartment like he'd said he would. Sam had half expected a new next-door neighbour, but Bobby had moved into the empty apartment on the top floor. Even Izzy had been a little surprised by that, but Bobby was over for dinner every night, and it never felt like he was far away. Having a Krakoan Gate in the living room also helped. Bobby had plenty of reasons to pop in unannounced. It was Izzy who had given him a key. 

Leaning against the jamb, Sam stopped in the doorway, arms crossed. With a fond smile on his lips, he watched them. Izzy had her fingers in Bobby's hair, massaging his scalp under the curls. _Probably got a headache from all of Josh's banging_ , Sam thought, having had the pleasure of his performances before. Bobby's eyes were closed. Grinning, he said something too low for Sam to hear, but it must have been teasing because Izzy laughed then shoved at his shoulder, shaking her head. 

Without question, Sam had the perfect life, so why couldn't he shake the feeling that something vital was missing from it? Why was he always dreaming of _more_? That was the thing he couldn't shake. That feeling that followed him, haunting his every waking moment and giving him no relief in dreams. 

Why couldn't he just leave well enough alone and accept all the blessings he'd been given?

Bobby opened his eyes suddenly and met Sam's gaze. The grin fell off Bobby's face, replaced by a more serious expression. Before Sam could say anything, Bobby stood up, Izzy's hand dropping onto the couch. "Hey, I should get going," Bobby said, smiling again, but it lacked his typical swagger.

"I thought we were gonna watch a movie," Sam replied, glancing over to Izzy, who shrugged. 

"I gotta pass. It's been a long day. _Accountants_ ," Bobby added like he was worried they would assume the worst. Sam would have known what he meant anyway – he knew Bobby adored Josh. "And get that communicator fixed, will you? Or I'm gonna be forced to buy you the most expensive one available." 

"Yeah, sure thing."

"See you later," Bobby said, heading for the door with a wave. He shut the door gently behind him.

Sam and Izzy exchanged glances again. Her eyes lingered on his face thoughtfully, and Sam endured the scrutiny all the while praying that she wouldn't ask. He wasn't bothered by anything he had seen, though once upon a time he would have been. That was probably what got Bobby so antsy, but the further Sam got away from Bobby and Tabby, the more he thought he could have reacted differently.

Sometimes he wondered what would have happened if he'd hadn't flown off the handle like he had. 

"You still up for something?" Sam asked with forced ease. "Josh zonked right out."

"Always," Izzy replied, reaching for his hand and pulling him down to the couch. Most other nights, he would have done his best to divest her of clothing and kiss all the parts of her he loved so much, but it _had_ been a long day, and they didn't always get these quiet moments together. He had to treasure them.

Putting on a movie, they laid down on the couch with Izzy pressed behind him, one arm looped over his waist, her chin on his shoulder. They fit together perfectly, like two spoons in a drawer. Sam really was the luckiest guy alive. A guy couldn't ask for more than this. That was what he told himself.

* * *

Sam only worked two days a week, so the next few were spent with Josh, trying to teach him to blast responsibility. It wasn't really working – he was a baby, and he still did things like stuff rocks in his mouth and try to stick his fingers everywhere they shouldn't go – but it was a ton of fun anyway. 

Bobby came over for dinner every night. He restocked the booze cupboard with only approved wines.

"I really can't taste the difference," Sam admitted, staring into his glass. 

Bobby made a faint noise of disgust. "Izzy, why did you marry this guy again? He's embarrassing."

Izzy grinned. "Couple of reasons, most of them not fit for the dinner table."

Sam flushed hot, knowing his face probably resembled a tomato, and it was only made worse when Izzy and Bobby started laughing at him with Josh adding his own delighted squeals to the ruckus. Sam suffered the teasing nobly, smiling so wide that his cheeks hurt, his chest aching with love for them. 

When he wasn't chasing Josh around the ceiling, they went for walks and explored the neighbourhood. Shi'ar families weren't really different from human families, all things considered. Technology made it easier to move from place to place, but Sam enjoyed going out with Josh in his stroller and getting them both thoroughly lost before making a game of finding their way home. He loved being a dad.

They saw Izzy sometimes, both intentional and not, streaking across the sky like a warrior angel.

And Bobby came with them whenever he could fit them in, and that was nice, too.

Since his schedule was more firm, Sam was responsible for dropping Josh at the sitter's on the days he worked. That morning, he sent Josh off with a kiss then went on his merry way, whistling as he blasted across the sky. The weather was nice, as usual, and his communicator had been working fine for days. 

But by lunch, it was dead again. "Piece of junk," Sam muttered, shoving it deep in his pocket.

He didn't think about it again until the job ran overtime, and he realized he couldn't call to warn anybody. He also wasn't the type of guy to shirk a duty when people were counting on him, and besides, Izzy had been adamant that she was going to pick Josh up that day to go get ice cream. 

Sam arrived home two hours late, bursting through the door full of apologies. "I'm so sorry. The job went long, and then my frigging communicator... I'll get a new one," he promised. Izzy looked up from the couch, where she sat with a hunched back, hands folded together, leaning her elbows on her knees. 

The apartment was eerily quiet.

"Where's Josh?" Sam asked, looking around. "Did Bobby take him somewhere?"

"Josh is staying with grandma for a few days," Izzy replied, standing up and joining him by the door. She reached for him, and it took every ounce of strength not to step back. She grabbed his lunch bag and set it aside, and he could see now, with her so close, how worried she looked. "But Bobby..."

Sam felt like he might vomit. His voice was wobbly when he asked, "Is he okay?"

"He got pretty banged up fighting some asshole with a grievance against the Majestrix. I have no idea what he was even doing there, but you know how he is. He stepped in as soon as he saw what was happening and kept the guy from doing anything worse until the Imperial Guard could get there."

Sam laughed, embarrassed at how wet it sounded. "Sounds like him. Always gotta show off."

"It does," she agreed gently. "Let's head on over to the hospital. He was still in treatment when I left to get Josh packed up and off to your mother's place. Good thing we have a Krakoan Gate in the living room, huh?" Izzy added, sliding her arm around his shoulders and giving him a nice, tight squeeze.

"How bad of shape is he in?" Sam whispered. 

"It's not great," Izzy admitted, bending her head towards his temple. She stood solid and warm against him, strong enough to hold him up when his legs felt like they were made of jelly. "But he's got the best people looking after him, and Shi'ar medicine is top-notch. He's in good hands, Sam. I promise." 

Feeling a bit more grounded, Sam nodded. He and Izzy went out to the balcony and left from there, zipping across the sky to the hospital. Izzy checked in at the desk, letting them know who they were there for, then joined him in the waiting area. Head bowed forward, Sam rubbed his hands together.

"Should we take him to Krakoa?" he asked quietly, glancing over as she sat down. 

"I asked about that," Izzy said, "but whatever this guy did to him... they don't want to risk him going through the gate. The damage isn't just physical. There's some sort of... _unknown_ thing going on. Got one of the Superguardians, too. The healers on staff didn't seem to be overly worried."

Sam snorted. "Bobby would end up squaring off against a guy that makes the easy way impossible."

"He'll be fine," Izzy assured him again, stroking a hand through his hair.

It felt like a lifetime before anyone came out to update them, and it was only just to tell them that Bobby was out of treatment and in the recovery room. Hand in hand, they sat together, counting the hours as they waited. Izzy dozed for a bit, head on Sam's shoulder, her hair tickling the side of his neck. 

Finally, after hours of agonizing worry, a healer came out. "He's resting," she said pleasantly, "but you're welcome to sit with him. We're honoured to be treating a family member of the Imperial Guard."

Sam raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he followed Izzy down the hall. 

The doctor left them alone. 

Bobby lay on the bed, eyes closed, a bunch of wires taped to his chest. He had in IV in his hand, the tubing leading up to a bag of _something_ that shone like liquid gold. A fair amount of skin had been covered by bandages, and his face looked like he'd be a mess of bruises tomorrow. He didn't wake up when they sat down, each on their own side. Sam took one of his hands; Izzy took the other.

Sam couldn't stop looking at where they were joined. 

Seeing their fingers linked so tightly caused Sam's heart to ache. It made clear what he already knew: he loved them both and that love was closer to same than not. He'd known it all along, but sitting there, listening to Bobby's ragged breathing and the beeping of the machines, seeing Izzy's thumb sweep over the back of Bobby's hand and the way she looked at him so sweetly, he finally admitted it to himself.

He just didn't know what to do with that knowledge, not when his heart felt so fragile it might break.

To quell his rising panic, he reached across Bobby with his free hand, relieved when Izzy's instantly found his. She squeezed his fingers, taking some of his pain even though she didn't understand the true extent. That nagging quilt was back, twice as fierce, because now he knew exactly what it meant. 

He still didn't ask Izzy was she had meant when she told the hospital that Bobby was family. 

He told himself it didn't matter. Not right then, with Bobby so hurt. He'd bear his feelings alone. No point giving himself hope if none was coming. He'd ask later when he wasn't so raw. For the first time, he thought maybe it had been a mistake to ask Bobby to stay there. This was uncharted territory. 

Sam closed his eyes, tamping down all his feelings, and just breathed.

* * *

By morning, things looked better. 

He and Izzy had squeezed onto the recliner in Bobby's room, where they slept in a tangle of limbs. It hadn't been a comfortable sleep, hotter than a summer day in Kentucky, but it was exactly the sort of physical connection he needed right then. Eyes focused on Bobby's bruised face, he stroked a hand down Izzy's back, and Izzy pushed closer with a murmur and a squirm, face pressed under his chin.

"Any change?" she asked, pressing a soft kiss to his throat.

"Nothing yet," he replied, slipping his hand under her shirt and splaying over her skin. 

They sat like that for a bit, enjoying each other, before Izzy got up and headed for the restroom. Stretching his arms over his head, Sam cracked his back, wincing at the stiffness. He'd surely pay for it later, but being there for Bobby when he finally woke up was more important than creature comforts.

"I'm gonna see if they have any of that weird stuff that passes for coffee here."

Sam tipped his head back. "Get me one?"

"Of course," she replied, leaning over him and pressing a kiss to his lips. "Watch over sleeping beauty."

Izzy was still gone when Bobby finally opened his eyes. He jolted awake, a panicked response as he tried to make sense of his surroundings, but Sam just squeezed his hand tighter, bringing him back. Instantly recognizing him, the tension left Bobby's body with a snap and he sunk back onto the pillow.

"What happened?" Bobby croaked. 

Sam poured him a glass of water then held it to his lips. Sam understood the urge to gulp, but he made soft noises of protest until Bobby slowed down. After a few measured sips, Sam put the cup down then placed his hand back in Bobby's. "There was a fight. You were messed up real bad afterwards."

Bobby closed his eyes. "Did other guy... 'least look worse?"

"He did after we were done with him," Izzy said from the doorway.

Bobby laughed softly, followed by a wince of pain. "Warmed him up... for you."

"Took five of us to take him down," Izzy told him as she passed Sam his coffee. He set it down beside the empty water cup. "You did good. It would have been way worse if you hadn't stepped in so early."

Bobby nodding, eyes closing, and then he was out again, just like that. Sam and Izzy shared a look – concerned, worried, a bunch of other things Sam was convinced he just wanted to see – before they settled in again, each on a side, drinking their coffee in peace. A healer came in to check Bobby's vitals.

"Is he doing okay?" Sam asked, watching her as she worked. 

"Everything looks good," she assured them. 

He and Izzy exhaled so perfectly in unison that they couldn't help but laugh. 

The rest of the day passed without incident. Bobby woke up a few times, groggy with pain and thirst. They took turns helping him drink, never too fussed when he drifted off again. Sam was nigh on invulnerable these days, but he remembered being gutted like a fish and how sluggish he'd felt after. 

By the time evening rolled around, Bobby was much perkier. It took both of them to cajole him into eating the weird gelatinous blob the healer claimed was dinner. "This is seriously disgusting," Bobby muttered, poking at it. Sam didn't know how, but it really looked like it was staring into his soul. 

"Yeah, sorry. I don't know how the Shi'ar can be light-years ahead on some things and then do... _this_."

"It can't taste as bad as it looks," Sam said, borrowing Bobby's spoon just to prove the point. He scooped a generous helping then plopped it into his mouth before he could second guess himself. 

"Oh, god, I know that face," Bobby replied with a breathy laugh. "Sammy boy is gonna puke."

"I'm not," Sam insisted, stomach rolling uncomfortably, swallowing the lump in his throat. 

"You totally are, babe," Izzy said, pushing the waste bin in his direction. 

"Okay, fine, it's gross as hell, and I wouldn't eat it either, but it's good for you, so you're gonna just shove that in your mouth and get it down the best you can, all right?" Sam glared at Bobby and Izzy as they laughed at him, trying to be stern but feeling a dopey grin spread on his lips. "Or just chuck it."

"I'll finish it," Bobby said with grim determination. "God knows I've had worse things in my mouth." 

"I just bet you have," Izzy said, causing all of them to crack up again. Sam was giddy with relief.

Bobby finished his meal without complaint, though Sam could tell it had taken a lot out of him. Knowing the kind of punishment Bobby had taken in the past with only a cocky grin, that shook him. Bobby was as tough as they came. He'd taken a few of Izzy's punches and walked away to tell the tale. 

But sitting up for so long had left him winded and his hand shook a bit when he placed down his spoon.

As always, Bobby read him like a book. 

"Dude, if you worry at me any harder, I'm gonna get you kicked out of my room," Bobby warned him.

"Go ahead and sue me for fretting over my best friend. That guy messed you, Bobby." 

Bobby shrugged, too sudden, and he failed to completely stop his wince. Sam scowled at him deeper, grateful when Izzy's hands came down to rest on his shoulders. Bobby's gaze shifted briefly to where Izzy touched him. "I'm feeling better. Whatever liquid fairy juice they have me on is grade A stuff." 

"That isn't the point," Sam insisted. 

"Then what _is_ the point?"

"Maybe it's not safe for..."

"If you fucking finish that sentence..."

"Guys," Izzy said, cutting in. She gave them pointed looks. "You," she squeezed Sam's shoulders, drawing his full attention, "need to relax. And you," she glared at Bobby, who lifted his hands in peace, "need to rest. Let's just be grateful that Bobby's okay and will be back to full heath in no time."

"Fine," he and Bobby said in unison, rolling their eyes at each other. 

Izzy sighed. 

As Bobby shifted on the bed, Sam held back from helping him settle. He got the sense that Bobby wouldn't appreciate it right then. He _knew_ that Bobby could take care of himself, but it just didn't seem right that he had to. If Izzy had been hurt like that, she'd have to launch him off the balcony to get him to stop fretting.

"So where's the kiddo?" Bobby asked, changing the subject.

"Getting back to his Kentucky roots," Sam replied, quick and easy like he wasn't still worrying. 

"I checked in a few hours ago," Izzy added, combing her fingers through Sam's hair when he tipped his head back, resting on the firm plane of her belly. "So far, so good. My dad's driving in from Iowa, and they're both just gonna spoil him rotten. Grandma _and_ grandpa time? No kid's ever had it so good."

Bobby smirked slightly. "You remember to put a power dampener on him this time?"

Sam barked a sharp laugh, feeling Izzy huff with amusement behind him. "We learned our lesson."

"We should all be so wise," Bobby said, his smile tightening a bit, eyes focussed on some point behind Sam's head. It was an odd little moment, one Sam didn't quite understand, but Bobby seemed to snap out of it just as quickly. "So when are you guys going to bust me out of this joint? I need real food."

"As soon as the healer says we can," Sam said sternly. "Don't go getting any crazy ideas."

Izzy pressed a kiss to the top of Sam's head. "I'll go see if I can get an estimate. Be back in a bit."

Once she was gone, Sam glanced over to Bobby, suddenly having nothing to say, and Bobby looked back, that same serious expression on his face again, eyes dark and guarded. They'd had moments like this before when it felt like they both had something to say but either of them too stubborn to budge. 

Or too scared, Sam thought suddenly. He wished he knew what Bobby was thinking. 

More than that, he wished he was brave enough to ask, but he stayed silent, just like he always had.

* * *

The next morning, the hospital let him and Izzy take Bobby home before breakfast. They rolled him out the main doors in a wheelchair – policy, they were told, when all three of them tried to protest – and then Izzy put on her Exospex and scooped Bobby up into her arms. Laughing, they flew home together.

He and Izzy hadn't really talked about it, but it was like she had read his mind when she set down on their balcony and waited for Sam to unlock the door before marching Bobby straight into the guest bedroom. Adrenaline wearing off, Sam could see that Bobby was wilting like a flower left dry too long. 

Sam pulled back the blankets, giving Izzy ample room to lay Bobby gently onto the mattress. Bobby looked like he wanted to protest, but then he yawned as big as his mouth would go. It was just as well. Sam didn't want another fight, but Bobby was a fool if he thought they were going to leave him alone.

"I'm fine," Bobby mumbled as Izzy tucked the blankets up to his chin. 

"We know," Izzy told him, carding her fingers through his hair, "but we'll feel better if you humour us."

Sam didn't say anything, just watched the scene in front of him, his chest aching something fierce. 

When Izzy had told him she was pregnant, he'd done the right thing without hesitation. Now they had a beautiful son together, and he loved them both so much that sometimes he almost cried with feeling it. He took care of his ma the best he could, tried to be a good son and a man who she could be proud of.

But it still didn't feel like enough. 

He was a simple man, with simple dreams. He'd never wanted for anything. Until now. 

"I think your husband's getting jealous," Bobby said suddenly, knocking Sam out of his thoughts. He looked at them, spooked, and Bobby made that fucking face again, the one Sam was coming to hate. A beat too late, Sam realized it had been a joke, and he tried to smile, but it just felt awkward on his face.

"My husband knows better than that," Izzy replied easily. 

"Your husband still has ears," Sam grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"Okay, I think we all need naps."

Normally, Sam would have protested, but he _was_ exhausted, and Bobby was already half gone. Some crazy part of him wanted to stay there, sit down beside Bobby and just listen to him breathe, but he settled on moving the baby monitor from Josh's room to Bobby's, getting it all plugged in and working. 

"I'd complain about you guys babying me," Bobby murmured, eyes half-closed, only his face and hair visible among the mountain of bedding, "but I'm giving you a pass this time. Being hurt blows."

"Call if you need anything," Sam said, ignoring him. "We'll be just down the hall."

Izzy took him by the arm and guided him out of the room, shutting the door gently behind her. She held the speaker to his ear, and he could hear Bobby's breathing, deep and even, nothing like the raspy sound from the previous night. "He's out like a light," she said fondly. "If only Josh went down so easy." 

Sam drew her close and pressed a kiss into her hair, holding her longer than was necessary. 

By the time they made it to their bedroom, Sam was shaking with exhaustion. Izzy stepped in front of him, sliding her hands under his t-shirt and guiding it up his chest, over his head. Her fingers moved to his belt, undoing it, before pulling down his zipper. He bowed his head, breathing in the scent of her hair. She tugged his pants down along with his briefs, then smoothed a hand low over his bare back.

Had he even an ounce of strength left he would have taken her to bed then, dragged those jeans off her long legs and buried his face between them, licking at her until she came, shaking underneath him. Would have pressed into her after, seeing if he couldn't tease another out of her, knowing that he could. 

But he had nothing left. He made a pitiful noise of regret. 

Smiling, she put her hands on his cheeks and kissed him soundly before playfully swatting at his butt. "You're about to collapse where you stand, Samuel Guthrie. Get that perfect ass of yours into bed."

"Yes, ma'am," he said with a dopey grin, crawling under the covers. 

He watched with hooded eyes as she undressed down to nothing, all lean muscle and curves. His cock gave the faintest twitch, interested despite itself, but Sam didn't push matters as Izzy climbed into bed with him. He wrapped himself around her, fitting their legs together, skin to skin, completely revealed.

She held him with her arms tight around his shoulders, snuffling into his hair. Her fingertips stroked over his back, soft and comforting. He'd expected to fall right asleep, but he felt his body fighting it. Izzy, who always could read him like a book, kept touching him. "You wanna talk about it?" she asked.

He felt the denial form on his tongue, but what was the point? "I still need more time," he admitted. 

"Okay," she said, squeezing him tighter. "Sleep tight then. I'll fight you for the shower after."

Sam snorted softly. "I smell that bad?"

"Nah," she replied, fingers still moving, tracing circles over his skin. "You smell just like you."

Sam nodded, feeling himself drift off. He just needed a few hours and then he'd be right as rain again.

* * *

Sam spent the next couple days focussed on Bobby and getting him well. The routine settled him, though he knew he was still acting weird, but Izzy gave him time, and Bobby, like him, seemed happy enough to ignore it. Nothing they hadn't already been doing for the entire time they'd known each other. 

Sam had to laugh about it. The only other option was to cry and that didn't seem right either.

They got Bobby up and walking as the healer had ordered. His powers were acting up, but that was supposed to settle down in time, something to do with the gold liquid they'd pumped him full of. That pissed Bobby off the most, but Sam was just grateful he wouldn't be jumping into fights any time soon. 

He and Izzy took turns checking in on Josh, who seemed to be having the time of his life. 

Sam kept moving forward without thinking too hard about anything else. The third night that Bobby was home, they watched a movie in his bed, just so Izzy wouldn't have to move him after. Sam ended up in the middle, heat radiating against his sides from some of the people he loved most in the world. The tension he'd been holding all week – longer, if he was being honest – began to seep out of him.

He woke up in the middle of the night, turned towards Bobby, arm laid protectively over his belly. Izzy was pressed tightly against his back, breathing softly in his ear. Shifting slightly, Sam tried to extract himself without waking anyone up, but then he met Bobby's eyes, wide open and watching him silently.

Sam looked down at his arm then back up at Bobby's solemn gaze. "This all right?" he asked huskily. 

Bobby nodded. "Yeah, it's... nothing really hurts all that much. Anymore. Like, I could go home..."

"Or you could quit your lying," Sam said softly, smiling a bit, and Bobby huffed a small, breathy laugh.

They looked at each other for a while, just lying there, listening to Izzy breath, before Bobby's expression evened out again, serious. It just looked so wrong on him. "Are we good?" he asked.

"Yeah, of course," Sam replied quickly. There were, after all, good, and it was only Sam who was making things weird and couldn't leave well enough alone. He hated that both Izzy and Bobby had picked up on it, but they did know him best. Still, he tried to deflect a little. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"You have a shitty poker face, dude. You always have."

Sam snorted. "Just stressed, I guess," he admitted. "About everything and nothing. Usual stuff."

Bobby looked at him for a long time, peeling away the layers of Sam's lie but having the good graces not to push it further. It wasn't the right time anyway. Too late at night, Izzy conked completely out. Anything Sam had to say couldn't be said without speaking to her first, so he resolved to do that. 

No more of this chickenshit nonsense. It had never been his style. He lived up to his mutant name. 

"Gimme a little more time," he said, giving Bobby the same answer he'd given Izzy. 

"Okay," Bobby said, simple as that. "Go back to sleep. You're cranky as shit when you're tired."

"Yes, sir," Sam replied, grinning, but it took him a long time to follow Bobby into slumber. He lay there for another hour, in the semi-darkness, surround-sound breathing from both sides. It brought him a strange sort of peace, even if he couldn't sleep. It was the sound in his own head that was deafening.

* * *

The next morning, they all woke up together and made no mention of the previous night's sleeping arrangements. Sam showered and shaved first then made breakfast for all of them, just the Shi'ar equivalent of scrambled eggs and bacon and toast. The Shi'ar had something that was close to butter but about a hundred times better, so he put a dish of it out on the table alongside the carafe of coffee. 

Izzy came into the kitchen, scrubbing a towel through her damp hair. She kissed him good morning. 

"I'm taking a bath later," Bobby announced, slow-moving as he made a beeline for the closest chair. 

Sam poured him a cup of coffee and slid it across the table. "Just don't drown yourself," he said. 

Bobby yawned widely. "No worries. I definitely don't want to deprive the world of my existence."

Izzy snorted. "Good to know your ego's still intact. You must be feeling better."

"Yeah," Bobby said, the smile leaving his eyes but not his lips, "I should be out of your hair soon."

"You know I didn't mean it like that," Izzy replied dismissively, reaching around Sam to grab the salt and pepper. Sam could have kissed her, but he just focussed on plating the rest of the eggs. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Izzy ruffle Bobby's hair before sitting down. "You can use my bubble bath."

"I always assumed that was Sam's."

"He hides his fancy stuff. That boy has champagne tastes."

Bobby laughed, a real belly laugh that warmed Sam to hear. "I thought I knew everything about him, but it seems he still has some secrets," Bobby remarked, the fondness in his tone causing Sam's skin to glow even hotter. "Though that well-known overachiever in him might make me starve to death."

"Hold your damn horses," Sam replied, laughing despite himself. "I'm creating art over here." 

Sam brought the plates to the table, setting them down, and then once he was seated, tucked into his own. Izzy and Bobby talked idly about current Chandilar affairs while Sam only half-listened, butterflies in his stomach. He'd woken up determined to speak to Izzy and just yank the band-aid off. 

Whatever happened after that... well, Sam chose not to think about that. No point worrying. 

After they were done, Sam tidied up while Izzy and Bobby headed to the master bathroom. It had the best bathtub. Sam heard the water turn on, muffling the sound of their conversation. Rinsing the dishes, he loaded them into the dishwasher then helped himself to the last of the coffee before heading outside.

Lord, he thought, sitting down on one of the reclining chairs. Was he really going to do this? 

Yeah, he realized, he really was.

He was counting on Izzy to come and join him, and she didn't disappoint, plopping down next to him. They stared out over the city for a while, silent but comfortable. Sam finished his coffee then put the empty mug aside, out of the way of his bare feet. Leaning into him, Izzy pressed a kiss to his shoulder.

"You ready to talk?"

"As I'll ever be," Sam said, sounding shakier than he would have liked. "You know I love you?" 

"I've never doubted it," she assured him without hesitation. She slid an arm across his shoulders.

"You know what I'm gonna say?"

"I have a pretty good idea," Izzy admitted with a smile, tightening her arm. "But you do need to say it."

"I know," Sam agreed, easy enough, but his heart was racing a mile a minute. He couldn't help but imagine that maybe they weren't on the same page, that she didn't know, not really, and that if he said it out loud then that would be the end of everything he held dear. "But Izzy, darling, I'm scared."

Izzy let that confession hang for a bit, still leaning into him, still letting him know she was there. Eventually, she spoke again, voice softer and kinder than he deserved. "You know," she said, "when I first met you two, I totally thought you were together. I mean, you guys had matching uniforms."

"Mutant solidarity," Sam said on an exhale, the relief washing over him like a storm. She _did_ know. 

"Yeah, so you told me later. But I still always thought of you like a matched pair, then and now, and every time in between. And for the record, I do think it's mutual," she added, rubbing a hand over his hunched over back, her chin resting on his shoulder. "My only hesitation in marrying you was him." 

"I wanted to marry you," Sam insisted. "I love you. I love Josiah. I love the family we've made."

"I know that," Izzy replied, "and I've never felt jealous. I've never needed to. I still don't."

Sam nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. He felt like he owed her an explanation of how it'd gotten this bad, and he sensed that she needed one, too. "When Bobby and I first met... things were wild. We were both new to this mutant stuff, to each other. And if there was something there, we ignored it. I got with Tabby eventually, but then she and Bobby hooked up, and I was... _angry_."

"That they'd done it at all?" Izzy asked, already knowing the story. "Or that they hadn't included you?"

"Who knows? You always feel wiser in hindsight. But that was years ago, and I'm not that man anymore, but I think it's why he's so antsy around us sometimes, like he thinks he's doing something he shouldn't." Sam clenched his hands into fists. "Part of me thinks I should leave well enough alone."

"I don't want you to feel like you're missing something," Izzy murmured, pressing another kiss to his shoulder. "Like you're denying some truth about yourself. I love you just the way you are, Sam." 

"There's only a small part of me that's empty," Sam replied, feeling tears prickle at his eyelids, "but I know who fits there perfect, like the missing piece of a puzzle. I know I should have said something sooner, but I always thought: why mess up a good thing, you know? Kinda like I'm doing now," Sam added wryly, risking a glance at Izzy, who wiped the tears from his cheek with a sweep of her thumb. "I don't love you any less, Izzy, but I also love him, and I guess I'm asking if you could love him, too." 

"I could," she told him. "I already do, in all the ways I need to. You aren't as subtle as you think you are, Samuel Guthrie. I've thought about this, and these past few weeks have just shown me what I'd already known. That we work together, as a family, and that we could be good together, all three of us."

"And you'd be okay with... _you know_ ," Sam murmured, feeling his cheeks burn up.

"I do know, but you need to say it, babe. With words."

She was teasing him as he deserved, and he loved her more for it. "Being intimate," he clarified, meeting her eyes, which were smiling. "Having sex. With him. With me _and_ him." 

Izzy snorted softly. "Well, as much as it pains me to admit it, Bobby is a very attractive man. If he's interested, so am I. But even if he's not... this doesn't have to be perfectly balanced, it just has to work for us. So if that's something he wants then we communicate. We explore. We grow this love together."

"He's interested," Sam promised, putting his hand on her face and kissing her with all the love he could muster, which was plentiful. He loved her so much. He didn't know what he had done in his life to deserve her. With an exhale, he pulled back, bending his brow to hers. "I'm more worried about me."

"I'm willing to bet anything it's mutual," she insisted, kissing him again, clinging to him as Sam pulled her onto his lap. After the last few days, Sam was desperate for connection, for relief, but he could hold on a little longer. To have his two greatest loves in bed with him... Sam shivered just thinking about it.

"I want this so bad," he admitted, fingers digging into his hips, pressing his face to her heartbeat.

"So stop moping and do something about it, mister hotshot Avenger and X-Man." 

"Will do," Sam promised, even though his guts were still in knots. He chose to believe in miracles.

* * *

Rather than bursting in on Bobby bathing, they decided to wait until after dinner, to let their emotions settle. Sam was already riled up, mind going a mile a minute, body feeling like it had when he was a teenager, wild and out of control. Time moved at a snail's pace. Sam hadn't had this much time on his hands for months, and without Josh there to demand constant attention, Sam was almost at loose ends.

"Relax," Izzy murmured in his ear, sweeping a hand down his back. "Go blast off some of that energy."

Bobby, dozing on the couch, lifted his head at the exchange, but Sam couldn't tell how much he'd heard. "We could all go out for a bit," Sam suggested, glancing at the window. "It's a nice day, and it'd be good to test where Bobby's powers are at right now. You interested, buddy?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Fuck yeah," Bobby said, perking up at the idea. "But if I start to plunge to my death, save me."

"Stick close to us then," Izzy replied, grinning, and Sam felt his blood heat, most of it between his legs.

They flew with Bobby between them, not as zippy or flashy as usual, but he seemed to be holding up okay. High above the city, the air felt cooler, crisp and refreshing on his skin. It was the perfect day for this, flying with his favourite people. The only one missing was Josh, his comfortable weight strapped to Sam's chest. In the next few days, they'd go see if they could pry him from his grandparents' hands.

But until then... Sam looked over to Bobby, to make sure he was still okay, then to Izzy, who was smiling. 

Until then, he thought, lifting his face to the sun, he had something important he still had to do.

Eventually, sensing Bobby was wilting a bit, they headed back home. Izzy tossed a frozen pizza in the oven, one of many they'd ordered from her favourite place back in Iowa. Sam thought about drinks, but he felt this was better done sober, and Bobby probably still had a bit of the golden liquid in his system. 

After the meal, Sam cleaned up, realizing he was trying to put it off when he spent five minutes working to scrub away a spot that was painted into the plate. Laughing at himself, he dried his hands on his pants then went back to the living room where Bobby and Izzy were sitting, fixated on the screen.

Sam sat down on his end of the couch, Bobby between him and Izzy. He rubbed his hands together.

Bobby eyed the movement contemplatively. "Is this where you tell me I've overstayed my welcome?" 

Sam shook his head, startled. "No, of course not. This is..." he almost said _your home_ , but changed his mind last minute, realizing he had something even better, "this is where you belong. Here. With us."

Bobby frowned, and Sam realized he wasn't being clear enough. He looked to Izzy, but she inclined her head with a slight shake, making it clear this was his to say alone. Taking a deep breath, he tried again. 

"You know I love you. We both do," he added, relieved when Izzy was quick to nod her agreement.

"Okay," Bobby said warily, still waiting for the other shoe to drop, and Sam exhaled sharply. 

"There's room in this relationship for you," he blurted out, ignoring the look that Izzy gave him. So it wasn't the smoothest confession ever. Sue him. This was harder than he ever imagined it would be. "We figure we're already ninety percent of the way there. If you wanna go that last ten, well, we're game."

"This is very Krakoan of you. Cyclops would be proud. What's the punchline?"

Sam exhaled again. Bobby could be a pig-headed fool when he wanted to be, and Sam understood his reaction – it took him a while to believe it too, and he was the one who had thought of it – but he didn't know what else he could say. With a crooked smile, he brushed his knuckles down Bobby's cheek. 

"Tell me I'm alone," Sam said, meeting his eyes, which were dark and beautiful. "Tell me you don't want to be with me as much as I want to be with you. Then turn around and tell Izzy the same things. And if you mean it then we laugh this off as a misunderstanding, and we go back to what we were." 

"And if I don't do that?" Bobby asked, glancing over at Izzy. She folded her hand over his forearm. 

"Then we see where this goes. We talked it over. Izzy and I are already on the same page. We want to know if you are, too. No pressure, of course, and if you aren't interested then you aren't interested."

Bobby still looked a little stunned. He swallowed audibly. "Just so I'm clear... this includes sex?"

"Yep," Sam said.

"With both of you? Like... in a committed relationship. All three of us. Together." 

Sam scrubbed a hand over the back of his neck. "That's the gist of it, yeah."

Bobby exhaled shakily, all of his usual cockiness gone. Sam kept his hand on Bobby's face, feeling the skin burning beneath it. "You're seriously on board with this?" he asked, turning his head towards Izzy.

She smiled, amused. "I'm sure we still have a few details to work out, but... there's space for you here. We kept space, and we both know who we kept it for. Roberto da Costa, will you be our boyfriend?"

"Shit," Bobby breathed, looking between them. "It can't be that easy. You guys have a kid..."

"I ain't worried about Josh. He's half Guthrie. Being a Guthrie means having a heart big enough to fit everyone in. He's gonna grow up knowing his parents love each other fiercely and love him three times as much. That boy and any brothers and sisters he might have... they're never gonna want for anything."

"That shit with Tabby..."

"In the past and lesson learned," Sam insisted. "I didn't know how to tell you that I wanted you, too."

Bobby groaned, a sound of immense relief, and Sam kissed him, terrified it would be weird, that maybe his desire had gotten crisscrossed with something else, but it was good. It was real good. His jeans had never felt so uncomfortable as Bobby opened under his mouth, one of his hands twisting in Sam's shirt. 

It felt... _miraculous_ , Sam thought as he pressed in with his tongue, remembering something Bobby had said once along the same lines. Sounded like malarkey at the time, but he should have known Bobby was onto something. Things usually worked out for Bobby through sheer force of will. 

Breathing hard, Sam pulled back then watched as Izzy kissed Bobby, too, fingers curled into his hair and tipped his head back. It was a beautiful sight, just beyond perfect, and with her lips still wet, Sam kissed her too, loving her more than he ever thought possible. They each took their turns, over and over, until Sam couldn't take a second more and collapsed onto the couch, light-headed and boneless. 

"Good lord," he said, pressing an arm over his eyes. He laughed shakily. 

"Shit, Izzy, we ruined him already."

"I think we can do better," she said, an elbow resting on Bobby's shoulder, pink-cheeked and pleased.

Sam offered his hand, and Bobby took it, allowing himself to be pulled to a stand. Because he could, Sam kissed him again, to make him believe it, then kissed Izzy again for good measure, because her smile was so sweet. They moved down the hall together, to the master bedroom. _Their_ bedroom now.

"You sure you're feeling all right?" Sam asked as Bobby – who had looked only a little wobbly as he'd waited for Izzy to strip the covers and toss all the decorative pillows – set down heavily on the bed. 

"Dude, no offence, but even if I wasn't? I'd find the strength. Just don't ask me to run laps after."

Izzy laughed. "God, our neighbours would love that."

"Good thing I own the building, huh?" Bobby asked with a grin. 

Sam smiled, standing back a little and watching as Izzy put a hand under Bobby's shirt and pulled it off him. She did the same with hers, tossing it onto the floor then reaching back and removing her bra. She had the prettiest nipples, pink and pert and infinitely kissable. Bobby looked to him, still disbelieving, but Izzy just continued undressing them both, taking his pants next before shucking off her own.

"Lie down," Izzy said, hooking her fingers in Bobby's briefs and edging them off, the dark line of his erection popping free. Sam, equally hard, bit back an appreciative whistle. "Let us take care of you." 

Obedient for once, Bobby laid back on the pillows, eyes flickering between Sam and Izzy. Shimmying out of her undies, she settled next to Bobby, skin against skin, and then all their focus was solely on him. They were beautiful together, like he knew they would be, and he felt his heart swell with love. 

He allowed himself a moment with the feeling then began undressing, not bothering to be sexy about it. Unbuttoned his shirt first, fingers just a little unsteady, then popped the button on his fly and pulled the zipper down. He wished he'd thought to wear anything other than tighty-whities, but he hadn't known how close this was, how soon he'd get it. He pushed his jeans down, taking his briefs with them. 

Then stood there, naked in front of them, all his desire and need fully revealed. How much he _wanted_.

There was no going back now. Living up to his name again. A cannonball was a one-way ticket. 

Sam stepped forward and climbed onto the bed with them, nervous and knowing he wasn't hiding it very well. "You're both something else," he said with awe, his gaze open and admiring, leaning over to kiss Izzy first and then Bobby second, his fingers itching to touch them both. "Just the absolute best."

"Shit, is he always so wholesome?" 

"He's a perfect gentleman," Izzy confirmed, voice warm and knowing, and Sam felt himself flush. He watched as Izzy's fingers idly trailed up and down Bobby's chest and how Bobby's stomach tightened with each pass, how pebbled his nipples were, how his cock jumped whenever she strayed too close.

Sam had a clear, undeniable desire to put that cock in his mouth and suck on it. 

He flushed deeper. 

"Have you actually had sex with a guy before?" Bobby asked suddenly as if the thought had just occurred him. 

"Nope," Sam admitted, scrubbing a hand sheepishly through his hair. "Have you?"

"Uh, yeah," Bobby replied, shaking his head a bit like it was the dumbest question in the world. 

Sam shrugged. "Guess I'll just have to figure it out then. I'm not too fussed about it."

Bobby sat up like he intended to do something other than lie there and let himself be loved, but Izzy put a hand on his shoulder and guided him back down. Without her Exospex, she didn't have her super strength, not in body, but she still had that will of hers. "We're taking care of you," she repeated sternly. 

Bobby exhaled. "Yes, ma'am," he said, grinning as Sam moved between Bobby's parted legs. 

Izzy leaned up to kiss that smiling mouth while Sam busied himself down below. Kissed the plane of Bobby's chest then headed down, past the hollow of his belly button, lower and lower, following the trail of hair that led him to his ultimate destination. He stroked over the hot inner skin of Bobby's thighs, kissing each one before slowly moving towards his cock, which was already leaking for him. 

"Fuck," Bobby said, muffled by Izzy's kisses, as Sam took the head of his cock into his mouth. He licked around the tip experimentally, getting used to the feeling. Sam was an oral sort of guy. He loved going down on Izzy for as long as she could tolerate it, loved how wet she got, how sweet she tasted. 

A cock in his mouth made him feel much the same. The taste of Bobby on his tongue was incredible. 

He and Bobby both groaned when Izzy put a hand in Sam's hair, guiding his head. Sam's neglected cock, pressed hard against the bed sheets, somehow got even harder, and he pressed his hips forward, desperate for even the slightest bit of relief, but he stopped short of coming. Wasn't ready for that yet. 

Once he thought Bobby was on the edge, he pulled his mouth off, leaving him aching. Sam grabbed Izzy by the hips and tugged her down the mattress, burying his face between her legs. She was dripping wet already, and the scent of her was intoxicating. He found her clit and licked at it, and she arched on the bed, moaning deeply. At the same time, Bobby put a hand on her breast and began to rub a nipple. 

"She likes that," Sam told him, pulling back even as she squirmed, breathy and sexy, pushing up into his mouth. Never one to make his wife beg too long, Sam went back to eating her out, stroking over her slick skin with two fingers before pressing them ever so slowly inside, twisting with each expert push.

Bobby watched, his hand still playing with Izzy's nipples, mesmerized.

Izzy let him have his fun for as long as she could take it before pushing him away weakly with a nudge of her foot. "Okay, that's good," she told him, still a little breathless, legs open, beautifully revealed. 

They shared hazy, love-drunk looks, smiling at each other, then Sam reached over into the cabinet and grabbed a condom. He opened it and rolled it down Bobby's neglected cock, careful not to stroke him too much, sensing how close he already was. Satisfied with his work, he settled alongside Bobby.

"I got her nice and ready for you," Sam told him with a kiss, letting Bobby taste his messy mouth. 

He knew he tasted like both of them. 

"You sure, Izzy?" Bobby asked, just like the gentleman Sam knew he was. Sam kissed him again. 

"Sure as eggs," she replied, climbing over him and shimmying her hips a little, the head of his cock rubbing over her clit, "but thanks for asking." She added with a wicked smile, "Sam and I don't use condoms, so if you decide you don't want to either, we won't bother with them next time. That good?" 

"Yeah, no problem," Bobby said faintly as she began to sink down, his cock slipping into her inch by beautiful inch. Holding his breath, Sam watched with half-lidded eyes and didn't exhale again until she was fully seated, stretched around his cock. Sam kissed Bobby again, licking into his mouth, smiling. 

And then Izzy began to move, and Sam couldn't help but watch that, his eyes flicking between the sensual roll of her hips and the look on Bobby's face. He wanted to see the expression Bobby made when he came in her, when she tipped over the edge and made him empty all the way down to nothing.

It didn't take long, Bobby's breath lifting and lifting, eyes hazy with lust, before he finally groaned. And Izzy, his darling, tipped her back and gave one last screw of her hips before clenching around him, coming like she always did, full-body shaking and making the most delightful noises in all the world. 

Watching them relax into each other's arms, he felt a rush of love for them. He was just so lucky. 

Once they were a little more with it, Izzy pulled off and rolled onto her side. 

Bobby opened his eyes and met Sam's gaze. Sam smiled. "Maybe next time that's me instead of Izzy."

"Fuck," Bobby breathed, and Sam kissed him again with a grin. 

"You guys are ridiculous," Izzy told them, voice warm and fond. "I knew from the moment I met you two that you'd be trouble."

Sam chuckled. "At least you knew what you were getting into then," he said. 

"Something like that," she agreed with a laugh. 

Silence settled between them as Sam became acutely aware of his own desperate need, nudging politely against Bobby's hip. It was made worse when Izzy leaned forward and kissed Bobby soundly, her tongue slipping into his mouth. They made out for a bit, comfortable with each other in the best way.

Sam made a tiny sound in his throat, and they finally took pity on him and his poor neglected cock. 

Taking Sam's hand, Izzy guided him over Bobby so Sam was between them again. Gingerly, Bobby rolled onto his side, pressing up against Sam as he settled, and then they took their time touching him, fingertips dancing over his skin, mouths kissing whatever they could reach. They were grounding him, he realized, the comfort of their hands untwisting the tight curl of emotion in him. It had been a wild few days for sure, and he was just overwhelmed, which was probably why he felt so close to bawling. 

And if a few tears did squeak out, well, they were kind enough not to say anything. 

It was Bobby who touched his cock first, a confident hand curling around his shaft and stroking him. Sam looked at him, leaned his head up for a kiss and was obliged, then did the same to Izzy, who worked his mouth as Bobby continued to jack him off. Sam was so close, just needed a little more. 

Then Izzy dropped her hand, fingers brushing over his balls, and between that knowing touch and Bobby's hand, working hard to learn, Sam came with a low, desperate groan all over Bobby's hand and his own quivering stomach, making a wonderful mess. He felt boneless all the way down to his toes.

"Lord almighty," Sam murmured, brushing a palm over his hyper-sensitive dick, shivering at the touch.

Bobby chuckled, sleepy and satisfied, and they laid there like fools, smiling at each other while Izzy, the only with sense between them, chucked Bobby's condom then wiped them both with a wet, warm cloth. Sam wanted to be more useful, but he was too blissed out to move, and Izzy didn't seem to mind.

Once she was done, she tugged the covers over them then slipped underneath herself, hot and smooth against Sam's back. He tipped his head a bit, and she pressed a kiss under his ear, smiling against his skin. Bobby offered his hand for a high-five, and she returned it. With a laugh, Sam shook his head. 

They lay there for a while together in silence, though Sam knew none of them were asleep. 

It was Bobby who spoke up first. "I love you guys. I know I tell you that all the time, but I love you."

"Ditto," Sam replied, a dopey grin on his face as Izzy poked his butt, snorting softly in his ear. "Just glad we finally got our act together. And by we, I mean me." Sam wet his lips as his mouth went dry. "Sorry I made things weird these last few weeks. Had a couple things to puzzle through, you know?" 

"That's our Sam," Izzy said fondly, stroking her fingers over Sam's hip, "overthinking everything."

"I'm really fucking surprised you even made a move," Bobby admitted. "Took me a while to believe it."

"You were the one you told me life was for living those other moments..."

"The outliers..." 

"The perfect little miracles," Sam finished, leaning forward to kiss him, shivering delightedly when Bobby immediately kissed him back, zero hesitation. "I guess you've had one good idea in your life."

Bobby made a face like Sam would pay for the comment later, and Izzy laughed warm and happy behind him. And Sam, the happiest man alive and willing to testify as evidence of that, just smiled.


End file.
